The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

‘Mothers should never miss a feed’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27 — The adoption of a baby friendly policy, to be displayed in the appropriate areas of the hospital was one of the main recommendations made by the participants at the conclusion of the three-day workshop for master trainers on breastfeeding today. The workshop was organised by the Society for Service to Voluntary Agencies (SOSVA) to chalk out plans for Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, important for the development of the child.

The other recommendations include approaching the government for formulating laws to prevent abuse of the IMS code/bottlefeeding, training for breastfeeding counselling covering all paediatricians, obstetricians and nurses during normal training course by organising special courses for this purpose. The Medical Council of Indian/Universities should be approached to include this activity in the formal training of the medical and nursing students.

Prof Gurdev Singh, Project Director, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Project, SOSVA, informed that though UNICEF and WHO had launched the project in 1991, so far no hospital or health facility in Punjab has attained the distinction of being declared baby friendly. The major focus of the training programme was on developing counselling skills for the health workers. It also meant advising mothers and building their confidence so that they would continue breastfeeding even in the face of minor adversities.

The participants during the course were taken to the Sector 16 hospital and GMCH-32, to have a first-hand experience of the skills learnt during the course. Dr Tejinder Singh of CMC, Ludhiana, said that in many rural areas, baby is denied breastfeeding for the first 2-3 days due to performance of family rituals and this takes away the highly beneficial colostrum — the milk that is produced during the first few hours after delivery. However, during this period a lot of other liquids like glucose water, honey or janam ghutti are given to a baby.

Dr Rashimi pointed out that most of the urban mothers, especially those who are working have the misconception that if the baby is not taught bottle feeding early, he will refuse to take bottle later on. So many of them feed the baby with bottle right from the beginning.

Presiding over the valedictory function, Dr G.S Preet, Director Health Services, Punjab, appreciated the efforts made by SOSVA for taking up the initiative of promoting breastfeeding. He assured the participants that the health directorate would consider the recommendations made at the training workshop and try to implement these in 30 selected hospitals through SOSVA.

Mr P.H. Vaishnav, Chairman, SOSVA, revealed that this was the first master trainers workshop organised and many more such workshops will be organised in the coming year. He also disclosed that there is great dearth of material on this subject in Punjabi. However, SOSVA has made a beginning by producing some material in Punjabi for the promotion of this course. Dr Suman Bhatia, one of the resource persons noted with satisfaction the initiative taken by SOSVA to bring paediatricians, obstetricians and nurses on a common platform to promote the cause of breastfeeding in the hospitals of the state.

The major reason for decline of breast-feeding is not a lack of knowledge but a lack of conviction, both on the part of mothers as well as health workers. This was highlighted on the second day of the training programme.

The participants were taken to the Sector 16 General Hospital and Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, in two batches along with four facilitators for a first hand experience of observing correct method of breast-feeding and talking to mothers with the objective of building their confidence and providing support.

Dr Suman Bhatia, Consultant, UNICEF, pointed out that immediately after the birth of a child, milk flow is either inadequate or absent, but some kind of food is required for the baby. The participants helped mothers initiate breast-feeding on the first day after delivery as milk secreted on the first day i.e. colostrum, is very essential for the baby and the baby should not be deprived of that. The participants also helped mothers in learning how to express milk which could be useful later when the mother is not able to feed the baby for any reason.

The experts emphasised that if a mother thinks lovingly of her baby or she hears him crying, her pituitary may produce oxytocin. Oxytocin is the milk ejection hormone and works by making the muscles in the breast contract. The mother’s emotions, thoughts and sensations can affect it. The milk ejection is hindered when she is worried, embarrassed and afraid for some reason or if she is in pain due to sore nipples.

Talking about the arrangement of supply and demand, they pointed out that if the baby suckles more, the breasts make more milk and vice versa. And if the baby stops suckling completely or if he never starts, the breasts stop making milk and the result is `dry breast’. The mother should not miss a feed to try to `save’ her milk for that will only make her breasts produce less.

SPORT

95-run victory for PCC
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27 — The Punjab Cricket Club defeated Air India by 95 runs in the VIII J.P. Attray Memorial Cricket Tournament being played at the PCA Stadium, SAS Nagar today. The PCC skipper, Vikram Rathore, won the toss and decided to bat. Vikram hit six boundaries and scored 38 runs which came of in 44 deliveries. Dinesh Mongia made 122 runs and Reetinder was unbeaten at 78 runs. The PCC scored 321 runs in stipulated 50 overs.

In reply, Air India XI was able to score only 226 runs for eight in 50 overs.

Tomorrow the Bishnoi Cricket Club (India) will take on the ONGC XI at the PCA Stadium, SAS Nagar, while Air India would play the CRSB XI at Sector 16 Cricket Stadium.

Brief scores: PCC — 321 runs for six in 50 overs (Dinesh Mongia 122, Reetinder Sodhi 78 n.o., P. Mahamabrey 2 for 53, Pritam Gandhe 2 for 53, Mandar Dalvi 2 for 61).

AI — 226 for eight in 50 overs (Neeraj Patel 51, H.S. Sodhi 45 no., Navdeep Singh 3 for 40).

Inter-school tourney

Manav Mangal School, Sector 21, bagged two titles while New Public School, Sector 18 won one title in the UT Inters School TT Tournament for boys played here today at New Public School, Sector 18. In under-14 category, MM-21 beat AK International Public School, Sector 41, by 2-0 while in under-17 section, MM-21 overpowered Shishu Niketan Senior Secondary School, Sector 22 by 2-1. In under-19 section, NPS-18 outplayed Bhavan Vidyalaya 27 by 2-0.

In the inter-school badminton events, in the under-14 boys category, St John’s High School, Sector 26, defeated Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35 by 2-0.In under-17 section, Shishu Niketan SS-22 beat the GMSSS-35 at 2-1 while the GMSSS-35 won in under-19 section by defeating DAVSSS-8 at 2-1.

In Pre- Nehru Hockey Tournament for schools, in the final played between St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, and Shivalik Public school, Sector 41, the former team raised objection against two players of SPS-41 regarding their overage, thus match results were withheld. But in the under-17 section of hockey, SPS-41 overpowered the SGGSSS-35 at 5-0.

In inter-school lawn tennis events, in the under-14 section, St John’s High School beat DAVSSS-8 at 2-0 while in the under-19 section, again St John’s School blasted the DAVSSS-8 at 2-0.

ADMINISTRATION

Work of SDMs and LAO rescheduled
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27 — Allocation of work to the three Subdivisional Magistrates (SDMs) and the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) has been rescheduled, following an order passed by the Chandigarh Administration today.

In the latest move the powers to deal with cases of resumption of property have been handed over to Mr M.S. Yadav , LAO. The order, however, does not state if the resumption powers, presently with the Assistant Estate Officer (AEO) will be transferred to the LAO in toto.

In the allocation, the SDM ( South) , Mr Gyanesh Bharti, will also be the Assistant Inspector General of Prison, Joint Chief Electoral Officer, the nodal officer for the Continuing Education Programme, Agriculture Census Officer and handle work relating to periphery control act as well work for removing encroachments in the periphery area, disposing of cases under the Periphery Act and look after new projects.

Mr H..K Nagpal, SDM ( East), has been given the charge of District Agricultural Officer, Block Development, Panchayat Officer along with MP Local Area Development Scheme besides holding charge of Administrator, Market Committee.

The SDM (Central ), Mr Prithi Chand, will carry out duties of the City Magistrate , DC office, Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer for the Zila Parishad and also act as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development).

Clerk tows away official almirah
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 27 — The Enforcement Wing of the SAS Nagar Municipal Council appears to be jinxed. Within six months, another case involving an employee of the wing has been booked by the police.

This time, a senior clerk of the wing, Avtar Singh Kalsia, has been charged of stealing the official records of the body. A case of theft under Section 380 of the IPC was registered today by the police on the basis of a complaint lodged by the administrator of the council, Mr Jaipal Singh. An almirah containing the official records of the Enforcement Wing, was taken away on a tractor-trolley by the clerk from the council office in Phase 7 here last evening. The almirah has been seized by the police and it is investigating the matter.

The senior clerk had been transferred to the octroi-collection wing of the civic body after a resident of Phase 1, Mr Narinder Singh Sood complained that he was assaulted by Kalsia during a drive to catch stray cattle a few days ago. The matter is now being inquired into by an Additional Executive Officer (AEO) of the council, on the directives of the administrator.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the administrator, acting on a tipoff made a surprise visit to a shop in the Phase 1 market where a senior clerk had hidden around 35 files of the Enforcement Wing. The files, containing records of enforcement wing for the past many years, were reportedly seized by the administrator.

Sources in the council say that employees of the civic body vied with one another to get a posting in the Enforcement Wing as the post involved a lot of money taken allegedly from the rehri and phari walas to run unauthorised business activity.

The clerk, Avtar Singh Kalsia had got a case registered against his colleague, Mr Amrit Lal for allegedly using derogatory language against him in May last. A case under Sections 295-A, 323 and 506 of the IPC had been registered against the senior clerk. The then Administrator of the council, Mr O.P.Popli, had asked the Executive Officer of the council to inquire into the matter.